I wasn't planning on writing this post today. But honestly? Some things just need to be said.

Let me set the scene for you.

I had been in a season of feeling really discouraged. Not just about one thing... about many things. Life, my business, motherhood, just that feeling of wondering if you're doing enough, going in the right direction, or if things are ever going to click. You know that feeling? Where you're showing up every day but you're not sure if it's working?

Yeah. That was me.

And then God, in His infinite wisdom and undeniable sense of humor, dropped the most unexpected, beautiful, overwhelming news bomb right in the middle of all of it.

We're having a baby. Baby number three. 🤍

I won't pretend I didn't have a moment. Surprised doesn't even fully cover it. Happy? Absolutely. A little overwhelmed? I'd be lying if I said no. But underneath all of those feelings was something I can only describe as peace. Like, okay. This is happening. And it's happening for a reason.

Here's what made me stop in my tracks first... At the time when we found out, my husband and I were coming up on celebrating 10 years of marriage on May 14th. Ten years. And right here, at this milestone, we find out we're growing our family again. I simply cannot write that off as a coincidence. That felt like a gift wrapped in the most perfect timing that only God could orchestrate.

And then there's this... and I'm still processing it honestly.

My grandfather passed away on October 31st, 2023. He was someone so deeply special to me, and that date is one I carry in my heart every single year. This baby's due date? October 30th, 2026. One day before the anniversary of his passing.

I don't have the words for that. I really don't. But I felt it in my soul the moment I put it together. It feels like a hello. Like a reminder that love doesn't end, it just changes form. Like God saying, _I see you, I haven't forgotten, and I'm still writing your story beautifully_.

If that's not an "only God" moment, I don't know what is. 🕊️

So yeah. He's good! And He's funny. And He is so intentional. And I am so, so thankful.

What I'm feeling right now:

Excited. Nervous. Grateful. A little tired already if I'm being honest 😅. But mostly just in awe that my body is doing this again, that our family is growing, and that even in a season where I felt like things were falling apart, something beautiful was being put together.

And can I share something that genuinely amazed me? I recently learned that women who give birth after 35 have been found in studies to have longer telomeres, the protective caps on DNA associated with slower aging. On top of that, studies have shown that people who are older when they give birth are likely to live longer. My body doing this right now might actually be a flex. I'm choosing to see it that way. 💪🏽

I've been so blessed to have had two beautiful births at a birth center, and I am genuinely looking forward to doing the same with baby #3. Birth is a marathon, however it unfolds, and I don't take lightly how positive my experiences have been. I'll be sharing the prep, the process, and everything I've learned along the way here on the blog. And whether your birth story looked like mine or nothing like it at all, it is no less powerful, no less valid, and no less worth celebrating. Every mama who has brought a life into this world has done something extraordinary. 🌿

What this means for this space:

I started this blog to share my real life. The fashion, the recipes, the entrepreneur journey, the DIYs, the travel when I can swing it. And I have a feeling the best chapters are still ahead.

So you're coming on this journey with me. The bump updates, the maternity style on a budget, the "cooking while exhausted" recipes, the building a business while growing a baby content. All of it. Because if you're here, you're not just reading a blog. You're along for the ride.

And I promise to keep it real every step of the way.

To every mama who has ever felt like life surprised you right when you were already in the thick of it, I see you. Sometimes the most beautiful things come when you least expect them.

Here's to baby #3. 🥂🤍

And the best is yet to come.

Drop a 🤍 in the comments if you're excited with me! And mamas, I want to hear from YOU. Whether you had a birth center birth, a hospital birth, a C-section, an epidural, or something in between, what do you wish you knew? What would you tell a mom heading into her third? Let's talk. 💬

Sources:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/advanced-maternal-age

https://www.newsweek.com/benefits-having-baby-over-35-according-obgyn-1996575

https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/abstract/2017/05000/telomere_length_is_longer_in_women_with_late.8.aspx